Would You Change It?

[bigdub81]

Apparently the fans of the Utah Jazz are upset about their teams recent uniform change, so much so that the team is considering changing them again just as soon as they can. Another poll struck up in Utah also wants to finally get a name change and give us back the ?Jazz? brand once and for all.

So my question to you all is would you be in favor of possibly being the Jazz again? Considering the Pelicans brand is finally starting to sink into the city with our bit of success, at this point I wouldn?t want to. The Pels have grown on me. But IF that possibility were to come about, I would love to see us break out a New Orleans Jazz throwback.

What do y?all think?

[luckyman]

Absolutely. The Jazz name and mardi gras colors are meant for NOLA.

[Pelicanidae]

I'd prefer to just keep the Pelicans as the name. I like it. Never really understood the hate, and this team hasn't been the Jazz since before half the fans were born - it's a phantom nostalgia for many that exists almost entirely out of stories heard from older people.

That said, I don't think Utah's going to change their name anyway.

[hornetsrebirth]

a throwback jersey yes, but not a name change. Team has an identity now

[Pelicanidae]

a throwback jersey yes, but not a name change. Team has an identity now

That's my thought.

The Jazz have not been in New Orleans for over 40 years.

Not a single member of this roster was even alive then. Neither was the coach. Griffin was only about 7. They're another team, from another era, who played another game. Be you, don't try to and be them.

[luckyman]

I'd prefer to just keep the Pelicans as the name. I like it. Never really understood the hate, and this team hasn't been the Jazz since before half the fans were born - it's a phantom nostalgia for many that exists almost entirely out of stories heard from older people.

That said, I don't think Utah's going to change their name anyway.

You'd have to be from here to get it. Those colors are a big part of the city every year regardless of when you were born.

Everybody wears purple, green, gold February/March whether there is a basketball team here or not.

It's a fish to water to return that name and colors here.

[Pelicanidae]

You'd have to be from here to get it. Those colors are a big part of the city every year regardless of when you were born.

Everybody wears purple, green, gold February/March whether there is a basketball team here or not.

It's a fish to water to return that name and colors here.

Can you remind me why that original Jazz team left New Orleans in the first place?

[luckyman]

Can you remind me why that original Jazz team left New Orleans in the first place?

Owner got a better deal in Utah.

Team got gouged by bad contracts from the city of new orleans. Which the city refused to change. City made money but the team did not.

New Orleans Jazz had to share the giant Superdome full of echos with a football team.

New Orleans economy tied to oil, which was all moving to Houston after the late 70s oil downturn.

Other political/racial factors I won't mention here.

[Pelicanidae]

Owner got a better deal in Utah.

Team got gouged by bad contracts from the city of new orleans. City made money but the team did not.

New Orleans Jazz had to share the giant Superdome full of echos with a football team.

New Orleans economy tied to oil, which was all moving to Houston after the late 70s oil downturn.

Other political/racial factors I won't mention here.

That's fair, I remember it mostly for the money issues. In my mind, I'm thinking ''why are people so desperate to bring back a team that walked away for money issues when there's already a team here that stuck around through far more'' - though, in fairness, people might associate *that* with the Hornets more than the Pelicans.

I'm just under the age of 40 and not from Louisiana, so I admit my perspective is very different.

[stevemadden504]

I don't want Utah or any other place to have anything that belongs to New Orleans whether we use it or not. But I will say the New Orleans Jazz sounds so right.

[As I See It]

Owner got a better deal in Utah.

Team got gouged by bad contracts from the city of new orleans. Which the city refused to change. City made money but the team did not.

New Orleans Jazz had to share the giant Superdome full of echos with a football team.

New Orleans economy tied to oil, which was all moving to Houston after the late 70s oil downturn.

Other political/racial factors I won't mention here.

Restauranteur, Sam Battistone (Sambo's) was the first owner of the Jazz. It was his conversion to Mormonism that led to him relocating the team to Salt Lake City. I got this from the Barry Mendleson (team's GM) who I know.

ASIDE: Mendelson stayed behind and became a promoter in New Orleans and was part of the group that refurbished the Saenger Theatre.

[Upper Decker]

I'd prefer to just keep the Pelicans as the name. I like it. Never really understood the hate, and this team hasn't been the Jazz since before half the fans were born - it's a phantom nostalgia for many that exists almost entirely out of stories heard from older people.

That said, I don't think Utah's going to change their name anyway.

To those of us who live in New Orleans, you're focusing on the wrong thing. It is not "phantom nostalgia."

New Orleans is synonomous with Jazz. If the team name used to be the Wizards or Tigers or something with no connection to the city, I wouldn't care about taking it back either. We're proud of the fact that jazz was created here. Its crazy that the team in Utah has our team's name!

[PELICANSFAN]

Restauranteur, Sam Battistone (Sambo's) was the first owner of the Jazz. It was his conversion to Mormonism that led to him relocating the team to Salt Lake City. I got this from the Barry Mendleson (team's GM) who I know.

ASIDE: Mendelson stayed behind and became a promoter in New Orleans and was part of the group that refurbished the Saenger Theatre.

The taxes that the state and city refused to reduce were the main reason. Battistone was not a "wealthy" owner which is why he took the easy way out of keeping the name and logo. He did not want to invest in a name chance as he already had a lot of Jazz merchandise.

[Pelicanidae]

To those of us who live in New Orleans, you're focusing on the wrong thing. It is not "phantom nostalgia."

New Orleans is synonomous with Jazz. If the team name used to be the Wizards or Tigers or something with no connection to the city, I wouldn't care about taking it back either. We're proud of the fact that jazz was created here. Its crazy that the team in Utah has our team's name!

I'm well aware that jazz is synonymous with New Orleans - at least certain kinds of jazz . Which is why it makes complete sense in theory for the team called the Jazz to be in New Orleans. The problem is that it already was in New Orleans, and then it left - largely voluntarily - to Utah. Over 40 years ago.

So when people who are, I don't know, 20 or 30 years old talk about wanting the name back, they're doing so because they feel an attachment to the name - not the team - which is fair, but not really a reason I personally see as compelling, or because they associate the Jazz team from the 70s as belonging to them in some way. Except it doesn't. They've never seen that team, attended that team's games, bought that team's merch, etc; all the nostalgia they feel for the Pistol Pete era does not belong to them. It's not their nostalgia. It's the nostalgia of guys who were around then, watching those games at the time, that they're putting on like an ill-fitting suit.

I'm not trying to judge anyone who does want that name back: like I said, I get that the name, at least on paper, fits New Orleans far far better than Utah. Nor am I judging anyone who is actually old enough to remember that original Jazz team. But I just find it a little odd if you're - say - 20, 25 years old and New Orleans has had a basketball team basically your entire life (Hornets/Pels) and that's the team you grew up with and formed memories with, to decide that actually your true team is a team isn't the one you've actually supported for years but instead a different team that left you before you were even born.

[As I See It]

The taxes that the state and city refused to reduce were the main reason. Battistone was not a "wealthy" owner which is why he took the easy way out of keeping the name and logo. He did not want to invest in a name chance as he already had a lot of Jazz merchandise.

"Within six seasons he'd moved the franchise to Salt Lake City, a place that appealed to him because he was a recent convert to the Mormon Church, and because it was a lot closer to Sambo's on the beach.".....Dessert News (Utah)

https://www.deseret.com/1994/12/11/1...d-jazz-s-roots

[Dr. Sting]

I used to want the name back as I grew up in NOLA watching those teams. A couple of things though: the Pelicans name is now branded and identified with New Orleans. It's the State bird and on the flag.

Also, they're named Pelicans in honor of Tom Benson's love for the defunct minor league baseball team he grew up watching as a kid in New Orleans.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_...ans_(baseball)

The name isn't going to change no matter what Utah does.

I am cool with throwbacks though if the Pelicans could reaquire the rights.

[Upper Decker]

I'm well aware that jazz is synonymous with New Orleans - at least certain kinds of jazz . Which is why it makes complete sense in theory for the team called the Jazz to be in New Orleans. The problem is that it already was in New Orleans, and then it left - largely voluntarily - to Utah. Over 40 years ago.

So when people who are, I don't know, 20 or 30 years old talk about wanting the name back, they're doing so because they feel an attachment to the name - not the team - which is fair, but not really a reason I personally see as compelling, or because they associate the Jazz team from the 70s as belonging to them in some way. Except it doesn't. They've never seen that team, attended that team's games, bought that team's merch, etc; all the nostalgia they feel for the Pistol Pete era does not belong to them. It's not their nostalgia. It's the nostalgia of guys who were around then, watching those games at the time, that they're putting on like an ill-fitting suit.

I'm not trying to judge anyone who does want that name back: like I said, I get that the name, at least on paper, fits New Orleans far far better than Utah. Nor am I judging anyone who is actually old enough to remember that original Jazz team. But I just find it a little odd if you're - say - 20, 25 years old and New Orleans has had a basketball team basically your entire life (Hornets/Pels) and that's the team you grew up with and formed memories with, to decide that actually your true team is a team isn't the one you've actually supported for years but instead a different team that left you before you were even born.

You're missing the point, but ok.

I'm 46 years old. I moved to New Orleans when I was 18. I want the name Jazz cause it fits the city. Nostalgia has nothing to do with it, phantom or otherwise. Jazz is a cooler name. Fits the city perfectly.

And your comment "certain kinds of jazz" makes me laugh. You can't help yourself.

[luigi modelo]

The taxes that the state and city refused to reduce were the main reason. Battistone was not a "wealthy" owner which is why he took the easy way out of keeping the name and logo. He did not want to invest in a name chance as he already had a lot of Jazz merchandise.

I’m sure Sambo gave lots of financial reasons for moving the team, but him being a racist Morman was the driving force

[Pelicanidae]

You're missing the point, but ok.

I'm 46 years old. I moved to New Orleans when I was 18. I want the name Jazz cause it fits the city. Nostalgia has nothing to do with it, phantom or otherwise. Jazz is a cooler name. Fits the city perfectly.

And your comment "certain kinds of jazz" makes me laugh. You can't help yourself.

Like I said, not judging. Just not a move I personally would like. The good news (or bad, I guess) is that they're not actually going to ask either of us so there's no need for us to try and make it personal, is there?

[hornetsrebirth]

The Jazz were a team in New Orleans for only 5 years, over 40 years ago. Hell no we should not change the team name to jazz. Jazz is not even cool anymore. We had the chance to call it New Orleans Bounce which would have been awesome but its Pelicans now and that should not change, at this point the Pelicans have been a thing twice as long as the Jazz were in New Orleans.

[Upper Decker]

Like I said, not judging. Just not a move I personally would like. The good news (or bad, I guess) is that they're not actually going to ask either of us so there's no need for us to try and make it personal, is there?

No, they're not going to ask for our input. But you seem pretty judgey, despite your denials. You're dismissing the desire for a name change as fake nostalgia. That's definitely a judgment.

But its okay. We both love Alvarado.

[As I See It]

No, they're not going to ask for our input. But you seem pretty judgey, despite your denials. You're dismissing the desire for a name change as fake nostalgia. That's definitely a judgment.

But its okay. We both love Alvarado.

Very Judgey, indeed. If someone else's ideals don't stack up to his own, Euro-Man passes judgement. He's always been that way.

[new city champ]

As someone who saw the Jazz play back in the day, I'll cop to some nostalgia. But objectively, it's among the best pairings of a franchise name and a city in the history of sports. As someone said above, if the name was some random flora or fauna, no big deal. But Jazz is central to our culture and remains vibrant here, despite other genres rising up. They should have left the name here when the franchise relocated, like they did with the Supersonics in Seattle.

I'd compromise. It's clear that the Jazz are not at all interested in using the Mardi Gras colors anymore. If we can't have our name back, at least give us our colors. We can reincorporate them with the Pelicans.

[Pelicanidae]

No, they're not going to ask for our input. But you seem pretty judgey, despite your denials. You're dismissing the desire for a name change as fake nostalgia. That's definitely a judgment.

But its okay. We both love Alvarado.

It's not fake nostalgia. Nostalgia is an emotion, if you feel it you feel it. I'm not judging that. I'm just saying that I personally find it strange to have nostalgia for (if you weren't there at the time) something that you never actually experienced.

If you did experience it then obviously that doesn't apply.

And we do love Alvarado.

[hornetsrebirth]

As someone who saw the Jazz play back in the day, I'll cop to some nostalgia. But objectively, it's among the best pairings of a franchise name and a city in the history of sports. As someone said above, if the name was some random flora or fauna, no big deal. But Jazz is central to our culture and remains vibrant here, despite other genres rising up. They should have left the name here when the franchise relocated, like they did with the Supersonics in Seattle.

I'd compromise. It's clear that the Jazz are not at all interested in using the Mardi Gras colors anymore. If we can't have our name back, at least give us our colors. We can reincorporate them with the Pelicans.

the pels have a mardi gras jersey
https://www.fox8live.com/2022/11/10/...tion-uniforms/