Passion designers

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/06/2011 (5464 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There’s no official way to track this, but count on it: Somewhere right now an artist is designing a logo/uniform design for Winnipeg’s NHL squad they are convinced is absolutely, positively a winner and should be emblazoned on the jersey when the club first steps on the ice this fall.

Maybe it screams out Jets or Falcons, Moose or Polar Bears. Could be Mosquitoes or Blizzard, Ice or Owls.

One hockey writer even suggested — not long after True North made the release of GM Rick Dudley public — that the club be called the Jettisons. Full marks for creativity, although it doesn’t really translate well to a logo and uniform design.

“I would suggest we have hundreds of emails and calls on this issue, dating way back to before this got started up,” said True North director of corporate communications and hockey operations Scott Brown on Saturday. “It’s not just people suggesting a name, but some of the more creative fans out there have come up with colours and logos to go with their suggestions.”

What all this reconfirms is how passionate hockey fans are in this town, in this province, in this country. That’s not a newsflash. But while the hockey nation eagerly awaits a nickname announcement for Winnipeg’s entry — and the logo/uniform design — Paul Lukas at ESPN.com/uni-watch.com decided to have a little fun with the Winnipeg name/uniform.

Suggesting there was “no way the league is gonna get this right” Lukas invited readers to come up with their own designs through the ESPN website. They had 100 responses, some of which are very sharp and creative.

Lukas and ESPN Page 2 cartoonist Kurt Snibbe voted on their five favourites, among them a submission by Justin Morison — a freelance animator/illustrator who lives in Fannystelle, Man.

Morison’s designs came with a variety of colour combinations and feature the Jets, Falcons and Polar Bears nicknames.

“Deep down in my heart it’s ‘Jets’,” said Morison. “I live in Fannystelle and when they left I was just 12 and I drew up a ‘Save the Jets’ sign that they put up in the window of the local store. It hurt when they left.

“Now when the first said ‘Falcons’ it didn’t register with me, but after researching it I now feel if it’s not the Jets, they should go with that because of its Winnipeg heritage.”

Brown said True North has its own company that has come up with some designs, but the next step in the process is to work with the NHL and its uniform partner, as well as Reebok. The NHL’s branding people will ensure the image of other teams is protected — can’t have logos or colour schemes that look similar after all — and that True North’s final choice for a name and design isn’t something that is so gaudy or ugly as to compromise the league’s overall image.

Oh, and just for the record, Brown reiterated that there is no timetable for the release of the nickname or logo.

“There is no decision on the name right now,” said Brown, “and I have no idea when it might come. It could come tomorrow, it could come two weeks from now.”

In the meantime, Morison, like so many other fans and artists, will continue to tinker with designs and imagine what if…

“My brother’s a goalie coach and when he was younger I did one of their jerseys,” Morison said. “Even that was neat to see that happen. For it to happen with the NHL team… that would be absolutely crazy. I mean, I barely have any nails left now just from the waiting to see if we’d get the team back. It’s an exciting time.

“I just hope they unveil the name soon.”

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

JETS? FALCONS? THRESHERS?

ESPN.Com Paul Lukas received over 100 submissions for his ‘Uni-watch designs Winnipeg NHL jerseys’ column.

THE LINK TO THE STORY: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas-110616_redesigning_thrashers_jerseys&sportCat=nhl

THE LINK TO LUKAS’ UNI-WATCH BLOG: http://www.uni-watch.com/

ALL THE SUBMISSIONS TO ESPN CAN BE FOUND HERE:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65516705@N00/sets/72157626923430944/detail/

THE TOP FIVE, AS CHOSEN BY LUKAS AND ESPN.COM PAGE 2 CARTOONIST KURT SNIBBE:

1. Winnipeg Jets, by Chris Giorgio

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2721/5815655338_3599bce0aa_o.gif

2. Manitoba Jets, by Justin Morison

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5314/5815682584_18ec4d797b_o.jpg

3. Manitoba Falcons, by Tim E. O’Brien

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5301/5829764966_f553892603_o.png

4. Manitoba Polar Bears, by Martin Hick

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5065/5815117603_22a115b3b1_o.jpg

5. Winnipeg Threshers, by David Versel

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3439/5815090325_88cb2fa875_o.png