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Entries in rockford icehogs (2)

Wednesday
Nov072012

Have You Seen Los IceHogs?

Images from Rockford IceHogs (official website)

Novelty promotions are commonplace in the minor leagues. But sometimes you just have to shake your head. And the AHL's Rockford IceHogs are really standing out right now.

Over the weekend, the team gave away bobbleheads bearing that looked like to the two dudes at the center of last night's onslaught of news coverage. (Was there an election or something?) Then later this month, the one and only IceHogs will transform into Los IceHogs. (The same, right, but more... Mexican-ish.)

These were two things that deserved some blog time. I couldn't resist. Especially the specialty jersey, which will be worn next Friday, Nov. 16. And get this, the first 2,500 fans are getting free maracas. How much do you not want to be at that game? Ah, but you might change your mind when you learn who's making a special visit.

Dora the Explorer. The celebrity from whom every hockey fan dreams of getting a visit.

Anyway, this gave me a good laugh and I hope it'll do the same for you. Tell me. What do you think of Los IceHogs? And what other cultural stereotypes could these guys use to mask their big pig of a mascot?

Friday
Oct302009

Green is the Way to Go

There are many reasons for going green. Today, a sampling of some of those reasons.

The hue between yellow and blue is quite a popular topic these days. Most of us understand it in the figurative sense — a method of curbing our effect on the slowly heating planet (which hockey fans should be most concerned about as our sport relies heavily on frozen water). Others take it in the literal sense.

Namely, the AHL's Rockford IceHogs, whose color scheme does not include green. They will wear special green jerseys on Friday, Nov. 20 as part of their "Going Green Night."

The announcement was made on the team's web site last week and includes details as well as an example of what this new sweater will look like.

AHL's Rockford IceHogs go green!

I bet the Blackhawks could pull off the green pretty well.

In any case, the release doesn't specify as to whether these jerseys will be auctioned for charity or saved and worn again in the future. All it says is that this is "the first time in which the IceHogs will sport green uniforms."

Also recently announced, Team Canada will be donning green threads at the upcoming IIHF World Junior Championship in Saskatchewan to pay tribute to "Saskatchewan's favourite sports team" — the CFL's Roughriders.

Team Canada's junior club goes green

The official release talks about how this new sweater will be used.

Canada’s National Junior Team will wear the jerseys twice — once in a pre-competition game and once during the championship. Canada is attempting to win its sixth-straight IIHF World Junior Championship gold medal.

The jerseys will be auctioned online (though it doesn't say where the money is going). The event takes place from December 26 until January 5 in Regina and Saskatoon.

Now back to the NHL.

The Minnesota Wild are going green this season for yet another reason having to do with neither the environment nor a pro football franchise. The club is going back to their roots with a new green third jersey — which just debuted last week.

But actually the Wild news I have to share has little if anything to do with that — I'm just trying to keep a theme going.

A type designer Rob Leuschke was interviewed by MyFonts.com for their monthly newsletter. Relevance? Apparently, in 1997, Leuschke was offered his dream job when he was asked to design a word mark for the newly formed Minnesota NHL expansion franchise.

Meet the designer of the original Wild word mark

That's right, he created the Wild's the original word mark which you can still find on the shoulders of the club's road sweater.

Since I was a small boy I had an interest in art and lettering. Handwriting was my favorite subject in first grade and I liked to copy the emblems of professional football, hockey and baseball teams.

I’ve never been much of an illustrator, but graphic drawings — especially those containing letterforms — were always a big pleasure. When I got the call to design the word mark for the Minnesota Wild back in 1997, it was an especially nostalgic thrill to do something I dreamed about as a kid.

Read more about font designer Rob Leuschke at MyFonts.com.

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And finally, breaking away from the green theme entirely, here's an interesting article. It's all about the hockey glove and its unachieved potential as a fashion statement. If that wasn't enough of a reason to click through, perhaps this will do.

(Just a little something to freak you out — on a Friday.)