Wednesday: The Final Countdown

We have made it to the final. All this work and I laid a deuce. But we are now down to two. THE OPEN IS ALMOST WON! J3 or Brooks? Probably the most exciting time of the blog besides COTY.

Meanwhile the circus has started up again on Long Island. Apparently we are looking to get ANOTHER arena? Maybe the Mets can help get one in Flushing? Or maybe we supersede the Cosmos and build at Belmont with the NY Racing Association? I'm dizzy.

All I know is that our next 82+ home games will be at BARCLAYS CENTER IN BROOKLYN! CAN WE JUST SHUT UP UNTIL SOMETHING IS OFFICIAL? It's the same old BS we as Islander fans have to put up with. I'd ask someone to shoot me now from all this, but then I wouldn't be able to write these Wednesday posts and entertain you with my angry/miserable/insufferable/corny style of writing and entertainment.

Other news brings us realignment in the ECHL:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

North Division: Adirondack, Brampton, Elmira, Manchester, Reading, Wheeling.

South Division: Atlanta, Cincinnati, Florida, Greenville, Norfolk, Orlando, South Carolina

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Central Division: Ft. Wayne, Indianapolis, Kalamazoo, Quad City, Toledo, Tulsa, Wichita

Mountain Division: Alaska, Allen, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Rapid City, Utah

Any teams nearby you get new rivals? Or are you interested to see some prospects from your favorite clubs get new opportunities to play against a different team's prospects?

Anyways it looks like the DNC was almost as much of a circus as the RNC, so Canada is laughing at us. Let's join forces with Canada as voters for COTW and the FINAL!

Reminders:

HJC Open Final vote (ends Friday @ noon Eastern)

COTW July 15-21 vote (ends Friday @ noon Eastern) 

ONTO THE CONCEPTS!


DT Concepts: Alaska Aces (ECHL) Concept

DT Concepts presents a new, simpler look for the Aces but while I like simple, I notice many things that set this concept back, and all but one involve color patterns. The white jersey is the best of the two because outside of the large numbers (there's the non-color pattern problem), DT does a great job of separating similar shaded colors. On the dark jersey, having the green against blue that bright almost loses the green, likewise the white and grey blend together. From a distance, the yoke striping pattern gets lost together and it looks like one white stripe separating a blue body and black yoke, when in reality its three stripes, green, white and grey, separating the body and yoke. The color blending also makes it seem like the large numbers have no outline. So my suggestions is to make the numbers smaller and outline in black and not green, while on the striping of the road, had you switched the green and white stripes, you may have had a winner.

Not quite Aced: 76%


DT Concepts: Colorado Eagles (ECHL) Concept

We continue the trip through the newly formed Mountain Division of the ECHL with a look at a Colorado Eagles concept. With the logo the Eagles have, it's extremely inviting to use that striping pattern instead of their current Kings ripoffs. I've seen it as a hem striping, I've seen it on the shoulders, but here I have yet to see it for what it was meant for: CHEST STRIPING! And by assing the white outline it works on a blue jersey too. Throw in the state flag patch and we have a winner. TV numbers are still too large for my liking, but this is genius.

Fly Like an Eagle: 86%


Fernando M: Kansas City Scouts Concept

It's very tough to pull off a color scheme with three primary colors but Fernando makes it *almost* work by minimizing white. I think it would be better on the white jersey had you matched the sleeves, socks and hem better, that is, red on the top stripe, yellow below it, followed by blue for the rest of the sleeve and sock. That way it avoids the "yellow-on-white" (although this shade of yellow is good enough to stand alone), as well as balancing the jersey. The alternate screams "MURICA" to me. Not sure where it throws back to (NY Americans? And even then why?). However the KC logo stands alone well. Stitching needs to stop at the striping.

Scout it Out: 79%


Lucas D: Cleveland Barons Concept

The one thing that upsets me here is the excess of black. Look at that logo. It's dominated by red. And the color dominating the white jersey is black. Switch it around to the red jersey and the logo is primarily white, yet black still dominates. The striping pattern in the middle sleeve on the red jersey irritates me because of the thin white stripes surrounding the bloc of striping.

Baron von Balance: 70%


Lucas D: Dynamo Moscow (KHL) Concept

Dynamo Moscow has a nice blue and white look that is exemplified by this concept right now. With a historic name like Dynamo Moscow, they need a classy jersey to match their historic logo. And WHOOMP THERE IT IS! Similar to the Barons concept we just saw, but different enough to look that much better. And the contrasting cuffs go well with the simple striping. Too bad that they would be plastered with ads if it were real.

Dynamic: 85%


Lucas D: Tuscon Roadrunners (AHL) Concept

I like two things here: different from the Coyotes set, and minimal black. What I don't like is the head as a standalone logo. It seems too rough around the edges. And while the striping pattern is nice, especially on the yoke, you have to make that Coyotes shoulder patch smaller so as not to interfere with the striping. But you have to make it large enough to actually exist on the back. Might have been a good idea to triple check your triple check before you sent this in for the Open had you advanced.

Run Over: 68%


Ryan C: Edmonton Oilers Concept

Orange jersey? Check. New alternate logo? Semi-check. Yes its a new logo. No I'm not feeling it. It just feels awkward considering that it's a simple block-letter "E", forced up due to a drop of oil. I think it would look cooler if the drop was from the top of the E. And after work tonight I'll actually try that out. The jersey font does match that logo well though, if only in style and not color. I do give you credit for trying a new logo designed by yourself.

Slick slope to climb: 79%


Ryan C: Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL) Concept

Despite the fact that I'm seeing a red, white and blue scheme used by the T-birds in anticipation for their jersey launch, Here we have a much better and not generic look of double blue. Ryan alters the logo to add the word "Springfield" arched around the upper left side of the logo, a throwback to the 1930's Springfield Indians. With that the red is completely ditched. The striping pattern strikes me as odd. I've seen similar with the Chicago Cougars, but Ryan changes it up using yellow on the top set instead of matching the other two. It gives the jersey life, but also brings into question: why three? But then again, why not? Brilliant logo work, unique striping work, and a beautiful name and umber set to compliment it.

Thunderstruck: 86%

THE WINNER OF MY CONCEPT OF THE WEEK NOMINATION:

 DT CONCEPTS 

 COLORADO EAGLES CONCEPT 

And that does it. I thought we had two concepts worthy of nomination this week, so if you could get both nominated and seconded, that would be great, since they both deserve it. I just chose the Eagles because in the almost 4 years I have been reading and writing this blog, someone finally figured out the Eagles striping idea. But you may disagree, as usual. Comment why. I'll give you a good fight. See you next week!