A grumpy cartoonish looking horse will be their logo and they named themselves the Missouri Mavericks. The new hockey team that will play in Independence this November announced their name, mascot and team colors. I don’t like it!
When I spoke with Bob Rennison, Director of Operations, back in mid-April on my Pressbox Podcast , the team was having a contest for fans to come up with the best name. According to their website, Independenceprohockey.com , once 10 finalists were announced, fans were asked to cast their votes. The team consulted numerous experts, focus groups of all ages, city officials and peers within the sports industry to produce the name, logo and color scheme. After seeing what they came up with, I’m thinking they used a little six year old girl’s suggestion they go with something along the "My Little Pony" line.
Perhaps I’m being a little too tough on the team, but Columbia had a minor league baseball team a few years ago and they called themselves the Mid-Missouri Mavericks. So perhaps I’m a little burnt out on the name.
When I think of Mavericks, I think of two things and one of them is not Independence, Missouri. First, cowboys. This leads me to think of Texas, where quite a few of the 18 teams that make up the Central Hockey League are located. I also can’t help but think of Sarah Palin and John McCain and their Maverick kick they went on during the Presidential campaign.
I’m just a firm believer that your team name and logo should represent the area you’re playing in or have a catchy name. For example, the Amarillo Gorillas. The Austin Ice Bats, or the Tulsa Oilers. As they made the announcement at the Truman Library, I wonder if they ever thought of tying in the team name to President Harry S Truman, who of course, was from Independence.
I suggested to Rennison during our conversation that they should go with something like the Independence Presidents or the Missouri 33’s. (Truman was our 33 rd President) How cool would it be to flash up on their video board the picture Truman holding up the Chicago Tribune headline "Dewey defeats Truman," to go along with their slogan "Never Count Us Out."
As far as the logo. A horse? For Mavericks? Why not a cowboy at least? The only resemblance of anything rough and tumble about this horse is the mullet for its mane! Team president Brad Lund said "A Maverick is someone who does it his way. (Again, see my McCain reference) He’s independent, we’re in Independence."
The team colors. Light blue and Orange? I would have gone with something a little stronger looking. I see a lot of dark reds, blues, deep greens and black on hockey sweaters and logos. Not Light blue and Orange. Our Maverick players will get laughed off the ice when they go to take on the Texas Brahmas.
Look, maybe my team names aren’t the best, but I’m thinking local, I’m thinking of something that Independence is known for. I’m just not sold yet on the idea of the Missouri Mavericks.
