Field Theory by Hadyn Green

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Field Theory: Behold the Roar of the Drunken Irish!

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  • Danielle,

    I'm still stuck at why the teams aren't called just Auckland, Wellington, etc.

    Good point. Although if you have two teams in one city it could get confusing. Hence the White Sox and the Cubs in Chicago, or the Lakers and the Clippers in LA. But if you're a one-team town, why bother?

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    I grudgingly accept nicknames for provincial / franchise sides. It gets the kids interested.

    Nicknames for national sides leave me cold though. And that includes the New Zealand Men’s Rugby team; although I accept that tradition makes that one a bit different.

    But I will not accept a name that YELLS AT ME.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    Although if you have two teams in one city it could get confusing. Hence the White Sox and the Cubs in Chicago, or the Lakers and the Clippers in LA. But if you're a one-team town, why bother?

    Here's an interesting bit of trivia: American pro-football came about after baseball so (following the college tradition and because they often played at the same park) the teams often had the same name or slight variations.

    Hence there were Dodgers and Yankees as football teams. The the Decatur Staleys became the Bears as a link to the Cubs. The only names that are still in both sports are the Cardinals (originally from Chicago and not named after the baseball team), and the Giants (who were). This is why you'll often hear of the New York Football Giants.

    Nicknames for national sides leave me cold though. And that includes the New Zealand Men’s Rugby team; although I accept that tradition makes that one a bit different.

    I like the non-official versions like Les Tricolors for the French.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    Is here where I whine about teams being named after one singular thing? The Force, the Storm, the Jazz, the Inferiority Complex... it drives me batty. Let it end.

    Personally i hate the teams that move but keep their name, when they really shouldn't. (ie. LA Lakers, Utah Jazz).

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    I like the non-official versions like Les Tricolors for the French.

    Yup; that’s it.

    The organic ones are fine, but the ones dreamed up by some marketing department are fingernails down blackboard.

    And in this area, NZ Hockey takes the cake. Black Sticks for men, and then after an expensive branding exercise (~$50k from memory) they came up with a name for the women’s team.

    The Black Sticks.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • tim kong,

    I always liked the brief bit of badminton branding from about 2 years ago.

    The Black Cocks wasn't it?

    Can't remember if it was just what the players wanted, or what was actually proposed by some other highly paid marketing firm. It said it all, and it said it well. Don't think it was ever officially used though.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 153 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    Utah Jazz

    That does have a kind of ironic hilariousness to it, though. I mean, could there be anywhere *less* jazzy than Utah?

    The Memphis Grizzlies is also quite silly. Why didn't they rename them the... Presleys? Or the Staxes?

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Naly D,

    I'm still stuck at why the teams aren't called just Auckland, Wellington, etc.

    Because the natives in Northland, Palmerston North, Levin, Invercargill, Nelson, Blenheim etc. kicked up a fuss.

    Here's an interesting bit of trivia...

    Damn it, I actually rubbed my hands together with glee and was about to type the exact same things.

    The Black Cocks wasn't it?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badminton_New_Zealand

    Wellington • Since Sep 2008 • 307 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    The organic ones are fine, but the ones dreamed up by some marketing department are fingernails down blackboard.

    All Blacks is an organic name. It's just been taken over and pushed well down the line by the NZRFU.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    And in this area, NZ Hockey takes the cake. Black Sticks for men, and then after an expensive branding exercise (~$50k from memory) they came up with a name for the women’s team.

    The Black Sticks.

    I thought the women were the Black Sticks first (in the Mandy Smith era).

    That does have a kind of ironic hilariousness to it, though. I mean, could there be anywhere *less* jazzy than Utah?

    And it came from the complete moral opposite of Utah: New Orleans.

    A lot of teams have fans vote on the name. the best example of this is the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore is the birth place of Edgar Alan Poe (and they have three mascots named after him). It also gives them the cool nickname of the Nevermores.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    One of my favourite "organic" team names is Gang Green for the NY Jets (btw the Jets were given their name because it sounded futuristic...in the 60s)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    And in this area, NZ Hockey takes the cake. Black Sticks for men, and then after an expensive branding exercise (~$50k from memory) they came up with a name for the women’s team.

    The Black Sticks.

    I thought the women were the Black Sticks first (in the Mandy Smith era).

    As soon as I wrote that I had the feeling I had it the wrong way around.

    Which kind of reinforces how stupid the whole thing was.

    If you've got a name for a side, make sure the other gener version of that side is, well, different.

    And if not, make sure you don't pay for it.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    gener = gender BTW.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    In New Zealand it's really a formula isn't it?
    1. Choose from the following colours: black, white, silver (women only)
    2. Choose from the following nouns: ferns, or something to do with your sport.
    3. If stuck then choose from the following adjectives to precede the colour: all

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Naly D,

    In New Zealand it's really a formula isn't it?

    Close, but I'm gonna have to mention Black Beauty and Team Kiwi Racing. :)

    Wellington • Since Sep 2008 • 307 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    In New Zealand it's really a formula isn't it?

    Close, but I'm gonna have to mention Black Beauty and Team Kiwi Racing. :)

    Well Team Kiwi Racing isn't really a national team and Black Beauty is the name of the car (like the boat Black Magic). Though that reminds me that we had Team New Zealand in the yachting.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Though that reminds me that we had Team New Zealand in the yachting.

    If it turns out that it was that which gave the yanks the idea of calling their athletes in any number of olympics disciplines "Team USA", we should sink the bloody thing.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    Team New Zealand was not a national team either, despite masquerading as one.

    And isn’t there an Emirates in the name somewhere these days?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Megan Wegan,

    Though that reminds me that we had Team New Zealand in the yachting.

    If it turns out that it was that which gave the yanks the idea of calling their athletes in any number of olympics disciplines "Team USA", we should sink the bloody thing.

    Can we anyway?

    Welly • Since Jul 2008 • 1275 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Can we anyway?

    I'll meet you at the viaduct basin in fifteen minutes. You bring the gimlet, I bring the wimble.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Megan Wegan,

    You bring the gimlet, I bring the wimble.

    The tool, or the gin cocktail. (I'd prefer the later)

    Welly • Since Jul 2008 • 1275 posts Report Reply

  • Megan Wegan,

    And apparently I've already had a couple. I'd prefer the latTer

    Welly • Since Jul 2008 • 1275 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I love that there's a cocktail called the wimble. Bring that. I'll bring two gimlets.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Naly D,

    I'd rather sit in the viaduct and drink.
    The boat can do the whole 'break up and sink thing' perfectly well on its own.

    http://www.hebig.org/blogs/archives/main/team_nz_mast.jpg

    Wellington • Since Sep 2008 • 307 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    What ended up happening with that mast anyway?

    Should be a monument to the whole thing at the Viaduct.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

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