Laettners Legacy
Heisman
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I Root For: Duke Blue Devil
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is the Charlotte Bobcats!
<a href='http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0609/1565712.html' target='_blank'>http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0609/1565712.html</a>
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Charlotte's NBA expansion team will be called the "Bobcats,'' a nod to the owner who spent $300 million for the franchise, The Associated Press has learned.
Bob Johnson selected Bobcats over "Flight'' and "Dragons,'' a source familiar with the process told the AP on Monday on condition of anonymity.
The dominant color in uniforms and logos will be orange and official team apparel will be in stores Wednesday afternoon, the source said.
An official announcement is planned for Wednesday, when city leaders plan to join Johnson and NBA commissioner David Stern in a downtown street festival to unveil the name, mascot and logos.
Chris Weiller, a spokesman for the new NBA team, would not confirm or deny that Johnson has picked Bobcats as the name.
In picking Bobcats, Johnson gets to see his own name used and continues the feline theme established by Charlotte's other pro team, the NFL's Panthers.
Bobcats was one of three finalists for the team name, whittled down from a list of nearly 1,200 suggestions the team received from the community. Johnson's group used several focus groups and spent nearly $100,000 researching the names and their trademark status and designing possible logos.
Team officials cut the list about 10 names, then matched them with potential colors, graphic designs and mascots.
Chicago's NVU Productions was hired to help develop the logos.
Reaction was lukewarm -- at best -- when the finalists were announced last month. But the same thing happened in 1987 when owner George Shinn was naming his Charlotte NBA team.
Originally "Spirit'' was selected, but Shinn changed it to Hornets, a name that traced its roots to the Revolutionary War.
That name -- and its lovable purple and teal mascot "Hugo the Hornet'' -- eventually caught on and then moved on with the franchise to New Orleans.
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06-09-2003 10:56 PM |
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T-Monay820
Get Rotor-vated!
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I Root For: Duke, VPI
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Bobcats! :bang: :bang: Isn't that the Minnesota WNBA teams name? God! Whats with our owner and these horrible names!?!? He payed a guy $100,000 to come up with this crap?! Give me $50 bucks and I could have done a better job!
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06-09-2003 11:10 PM |
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JoltinJacket
The Resident Stat Machine
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I Root For: Georgia Tech
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At least be thankful that good ol' George Shinn left town with the Hornets. You'll have a decent owner in Charlotte now. Shinn just fired Paul Silas to bring in basketball guru Tim Floyd. :laugh: :laugh: :rolleyes:
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06-09-2003 11:49 PM |
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raptorcox
NBA Moderator
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Now all they need to do is land Jordan
BTW, I have heard the color Orange is a major color with the new franchise - this will have the Gamecock community up in arms
I admit it has to be better than the teal/purple Hornets look.
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06-10-2003 07:19 AM |
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raptorcox
NBA Moderator
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Now I hear its Silver and Orange colors.
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06-10-2003 01:47 PM |
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ElusiveQB
All American
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better than Orange and Brown
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06-10-2003 02:23 PM |
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Nature Boy
Special Teams
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:snore: Bobcats?! I'm glad I am a Lakers fan.
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06-10-2003 02:46 PM |
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JD Heel
All American
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I Root For: UNC
Location: Charlotte, NC
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I seriously doubt "Lakers" would be a popular name if someone came up with it out of the blue (especially in LA).
A team's name and image is built on tradition. If the Bobcats are any good, they'll be plenty popular.
(Still, I'm not a huge fan of the name....)
-JD
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06-10-2003 02:58 PM |
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SouthLink02
1st String
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I am excited about Floyd coming here. The guy knows his basketball but was setup for failure in Chicago. He gets plenty of talent and a quick team here.
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06-10-2003 04:00 PM |
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raptorcox
NBA Moderator
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I still think Floyd is best suited to the college game. He will be like Allan Bristow was in Charlotte - he will build it and then get fired (again)...
We shall see...
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06-10-2003 04:20 PM |
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ElusiveQB
All American
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Some coaches are just meant to be college coaches.
Example: Rick Pitino
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06-10-2003 04:36 PM |
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raptorcox
NBA Moderator
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Great example, thank you Akron!
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06-10-2003 06:17 PM |
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SouthLink02
1st String
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Please don't compare Floyd to Pintino. Ugh, Floyd isn't a prick...
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06-10-2003 06:44 PM |
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raptorcox
NBA Moderator
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Might as well call him Pinto, S-Link
LOL!
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06-10-2003 07:09 PM |
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