Blackhawks wonder why San Jose Sharks logo

[Nev 1,085]

Chiming in from ND here. My bf, Godson, and one of my best friends are all Native. There is no consensus amongst any tribe around here, and most people are kind of torn.

The objections are:

-Using a race of people as a mascot, especially one which stereotypes them as violent people.

-Placing people (especially young people) in the uncomfortable position of being "mascots" because of their race (usually in the eyes of drunk idiots who are cheering for opposing teams).

Thanks for the reply, but I still don't get it. The way I see it is honouring the spirit, the toughness etc of native americans, it doesn't imply that they are an inheritively violent people, any more than the Minnesota Vikings imply that Lidstrom, Kronwall and Zetterberg are inherently violent. I see it as a compliment, not an insult.

Imagine being an Ojibwe and bringing your child to a game. You are just another family out for a good time, but nearby idiots see Native people and assume that just because you are there that you are Sioux and spend the game yelling "Sioux Suck" with the opposing crowd, but then harass you and your kid by continuing to tell you that you suck. Or imagine being Sioux and having to sit through people yelling "Sioux Suck".

To keep with the Vikings analogy - you're a Swede visiting Detroit, you go to see the Lions lose at home to Minnesota. A Detroit fan yells out "Vikings suck", should they be offended?

Go back to the photoshop wars from the Coyote series and imagine that instead of dead dogs there were dead people in Native garb.

I think they'd get slapped down pretty quick if they did.

-Using, or more frequently, misusing what whites believe to be Indian traditions (but the whites have them totally screwed up) like fancy dances or war cries.

It's the idiots that ruin it for the rest of us.

Ain't that the truth.

[55fan 5,133]

Thanks for the reply, but I still don't get it. The way I see it is honouring the spirit, the toughness etc of native americans, it doesn't imply that they are an inheritively violent people, any more than the Minnesota Vikings imply that Lidstrom, Kronwall and Zetterberg are inherently violent. I see it as a compliment, not an insult.

To keep with the Vikings analogy - you're a Swede visiting Detroit, you go to see the Lions lose at home to Minnesota. A Detroit fan yells out "Vikings suck", should they be offended?

The difference is that Swedes (or Scandanavians in general) aren't Vikings.

They may have had ancestors who were Vikings, but they don't life the pillage and plunder lifestyle, nor do they refer to themselves as Vikings.

It would be more like saying that the African-American heritage in the South (USA) should be honoured, and having the Atlanta Africans-Americans as a team.

Would it be a compliment? Not really, especially when idiots from the opposing teams started assuming that any Black person there was from Atlanta, even if they were visiting from New Brunswick.

Then imagine that the "mascots" dancing along the sidelines were white kids in blackface eating watermelon or doing some sort of stereotypical action.

That's more of what you get with Sioux. You get a white kid with "war paint" doing a "war dance", none of which is anywhere near accurate.

It can be done with respect, but usually only on the res itself.

[13dangledangle 957]

You did get that it was from the Onion, right?

No :!: I've never heard of this Onion character

[55fan 5,133]

No :!: I've never heard of this Onion character

Fun place. Check it out- there's a hilarious article about how the NHL is moving to the Food Channel.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Fun place. Check it out- there's a hilarious article about how the NHL is moving to the Food Channel.

And Dan Ellis now living in his net.

[newfy 695]

The difference is that Swedes (or Scandanavians in general) aren't Vikings.

They may have had ancestors who were Vikings, but they don't life the pillage and plunder lifestyle, nor do they refer to themselves as Vikings.

It would be more like saying that the African-American heritage in the South (USA) should be honoured, and having the Atlanta Africans-Americans as a team.

Would it be a compliment? Not really, especially when idiots from the opposing teams started assuming that any Black person there was from Atlanta, even if they were visiting from New Brunswick.

Then imagine that the "mascots" dancing along the sidelines were white kids in blackface eating watermelon or doing some sort of stereotypical action.

That's more of what you get with Sioux. You get a white kid with "war paint" doing a "war dance", none of which is anywhere near accurate.

It can be done with respect, but usually only on the res itself.

This can be said about Natives as well. Most now(I live 5 minutes from a res so I have a good idea about how things are)do not live the native lifestyle that was used in the past. Most don't worship the creator, or live in teepees or scalp their enemies for that matter. Referring to these people is the same as referring to swedes as vikings.

[plopster 136]

you guys must clearly be forgetting one of the recent canucks logos. what does a whale have to do with canadians? and i think the best logo in the league as far as concept goes to the wild. i have liked it since the franchise began. kudos to that designer.

[55fan 5,133]

This can be said about Natives as well. Most now(I live 5 minutes from a res so I have a good idea about how things are)do not live the native lifestyle that was used in the past. Most don't worship the creator, or live in teepees or scalp their enemies for that matter. Referring to these people is the same as referring to swedes as vikings.

I see what you mean, but my point was that most Swedes simply identify themselves as Swedes rather than Vikings, whereas most Sioux identify themselves as Sioux.

[NC WINGS FAN 5]

The "Buffaslug" logo has to be the worst, hands down. Why they do not go back to their original logo is a mystery to me.

[NC WINGS FAN 5]

Chiming in from ND here. My bf, Godson, and one of my best friends are all Native. There is no consensus amongst any tribe around here, and most people are kind of torn.

The objections are:

-Using a race of people as a mascot, especially one which stereotypes them as violent people.

-Using, or more frequently, misusing what whites believe to be Indian traditions (but the whites have them totally screwed up) like fancy dances or war cries.

-Placing people (especially young people) in the uncomfortable position of being "mascots" because of their race (usually in the eyes of drunk idiots who are cheering for opposing teams).

Imagine being an Ojibwe and bringing your child to a game. You are just another family out for a good time, but nearby idiots see Native people and assume that just because you are there that you are Sioux and spend the game yelling "Sioux Suck" with the opposing crowd, but then harass you and your kid by continuing to tell you that you suck. Or imagine being Sioux and having to sit through people yelling "Sioux Suck".

It's the idiots that ruin it for the rest of us. If it was like the Steelers or Packers where the teams were named to honour the people who made the city the success that it is today, it would be fine. Unfortunately, it is used more like an animal. Go back to the photoshop wars from the Coyote series and imagine that instead of dead dogs there were dead people in Native garb.

Personally, I could go either way with it, but no matter what they have for a logo, the insensitive people should be taken out and flogged.

As far as logos, I think the Preds logo looks stupid, but at least they got a colour that doesn't look like poop.

You bring up some interesting points. As far as logos go, Natives do seem torn as some see them as racist while others do not. FSU has permission from the Seminol people to use their name as a mascot.

Others ask the question of "what if they named a team the Blacks and had a logo depicting a guy eating watermelon and fried chicken"? It is safe to say that all African Americans would be offended while everyone else would also agree it is racist.

Natives seem divided on such issues, which leaves me wondering how racist it really is. If they all viewed it as offensive, then we could all agree it is racist, but that is not the case, which is why we have these discussions. Using that logic, we might as well do away with the word "girlfriend" b/c some women find the use of the word "girl" to be offensive.

Back to the topic: The new Sharks uniforms are hideous all together. I like the original ones. The Buffaslug, the Orchid Bay, the Pens, and the Avs all have bad logos. They must realize that simpler is better.

[MannyK 16]

The "Buffaslug" logo has to be the worst, hands down. Why they do not go back to their original logo is a mystery to me.

I think it was announced this year that they are going back to their original logo for next season. could be wrong, but pretty sure I remember hearing that

[puckloo39 5,686]

I think it was announced this year that they are going back to their original logo for next season. could be wrong, but pretty sure I remember hearing that

Blue and gold original or the more recent snorting Buffalo head? I liked the blue and gold - it's different from the rest of the red and black unis out there.

At least the Wings have remained pure.

[Travis 576]

Blue and gold original or the more recent snorting Buffalo head? I liked the blue and gold - it's different from the rest of the red and black unis out there.

At least the Wings have remained pure.

Original Buffalo logo - the one they replicate with the 'modernized' buffalo now.

I mentioned it a couple of pages back - their 3rd jerseys will be their primaries next year, but with a real buffalo.

[NC WINGS FAN 5]

I think it was announced this year that they are going back to their original logo for next season. could be wrong, but pretty sure I remember hearing that

Thank God. I hope they keep the current color scheme but go back to the original logo. That would look pretty slick, imho.